Dressmaker&#39;s fitting-stand.



No. 791,451. I I I PATENTED JUNE 6, 1905.

'V. H. GANHAM. DRESSMAKERS FITTING STAND.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. E, 1904.

wnm I V UNITED STATES Patented June 6, 1905.

VICTOR H. GANHAM, OF GUELPH, CANADA.

DRESSMAKERIS FITTING-STAND.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 791,451 dated June 6, 1905.

Application filed $eptember 8, 1904. Serial No. 223,797.

1'0 all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, VIoToR HENRY CANHAM, dry-goods buyer, a subject of His Majesty King Edward VII, residing at Gruelpln in the county of Wellington and Province-of Ontario, Dominion of Canada, have invented a new or Improved Dressmakers Fitting-Stand, of which It consists of a low stand supported on legs of suitable length carrying a rigid stationary platform at its center, while the surrounding part of the platform, forming 'a wide outer edge, rim, or border to the stationary central platform, can be elevated, preferably'by rocking levers, to any desired height and held in position by means of a clutch, pawl, or any other suitable mechanism, ascale and pointer being provided to measure in inches the level of the bottom of the skirt from the floor.

Reference is had to the accompanying sheet of drawings, in which-- Figure I is a perspective view of my new or improved fitting-stand in normal position ready for the customer to take her place thereon. Fig II is the same with the wide outer edge or border elevated. Fig. III is a sectional view showing the elevating mechanism. Fig. IV is a bottom view showing the operating and elevating levers. Fig. V is a side view of a sheet-metal clutch and spring for retaining the elevated rim or border at any desired height. Fig. VI is a top view of the same, and Fig. VII is a detail view of the gage and pointer for determining the height of the elevated rim or border.

Similar letters of reference indicate similar parts in all the drawings.

In Figs. 1, II, III, and IV, A is the central platform, upon which the customer stands while the skirt of the dress is being fitted. It is perfectly rigid and stationary, supported by supplementarylegs L L, so that the customer need not feel nervous upon stepping on the same, and being elevated above the level of the floor of the room is in a convenient position for the dressmaker to fit the skirt. B is the wide movable rim, edge, or border surrounding the stationary platform A. Normally it rests on the frame C of the stand and is then on a level with the stationary platform. It is capable of being raised in a vertical direction by means of four wire rods M M M M, one under each corner, which are carried on the ends of the elevating-levers E E E E. The dotted lines in Fig. II show its position when elevated for use as a guide to the eye in getting the skirt to hang level.

The frame C of the stand is supported by four short legs, and an extra folding leaf N can be hinged thereto, as shown in Fig.1, for use when a dress with a train is being fitted. This leaf is supported by folding legs in the usual manner.

Underneath the stationary platform A four short fulcrum-posts F F F F, corresponding in position to the four corners of the platform,

project downward, as shown in Figs. III and IV. In these posts the rocking elevating lever-bars E E E E are pivoted. These leverbars radiate from the center, their outer ends sliding in vertical grooves G G Gr Gr, one in each corner of the frame 0 of the stand, as shown in Fig. 1V, and carry the wire rods M M M M, which in turn carry and serve to raise and lower the outer rim, edge, or border B of the stand. The inner ends of the leverbars E E E E are stepped and interlock the one with the other underneath the center of the stationary platform A and are connected, by means of a suitable link, to the main operating-lever H, which is hinged to the middle of one of the sides of the stand. The other end of the operating-lever H carries a spring J, Figs. V and VI, bearing on the clutch K, which is loosely mounted on the projection I on the handle of the operating-lever. This clutch is provided with two holes just large enough to allow the wires of the stationary. controlling-loop 0, Figs. I and II and in detail Figs. V and VI, to pass when the clutch K is depressed by means of its heel is. When released, the weight of the wide outer rim, edge, or border B of the stand lifts the handle of the operating-lever H and, assisted by the spring J, causes the clutch to tilt so that the holes therein grasp firmly the wires of the loop passing through them, arresting the upward motion of the handle of the operatinglever H, and consequently the downward motion of the wide rim, edge, or border B of the stand, at any desired point.

On one of the sides of the stand, preferably the front, a gage Q, divided into inches and half-inches, is attached to the elevating rim, edge, or border B, Figs. I and II and in detail in Fig. VII, while a corresponding pointer R is fixed upon the frame O. This serves to measure the height in inches of the bottom of the skirt from the floor.

In practice the customer, having stated what length she wishes the skirt, steps upon the stand and takes her position on the central stationary platform. The dressmaker then depresses the projecting handle of the operating-lever. which in turn pulls down the inner ends of the elevating lever-bars E E E E, causing their outer ends carrying the wire lifting-rods M M M M to rise by means of the fulcrum-posts F F F F, thus elevating the outer rim, edge, or border of the stand until the pointer R registers the required height on the gage Q, the clutch K engaging with the wires of the controlling-loop O at any point at which the operating-lever is released. The skirt of the dress is then fitted and leveled by the operator using the elevated rim or edge as a guide for the eye. The

operator then grasps the handle of the operating-lever H and at the same time compresses to it the projecting heel of the clutch K, thus releasing the wires of the loop and permitting the handle of the operating-lever to rise, while the outer rim, edge, or border of the stand sinks to the level of the central platform A.

Any other suitable mechanism may be used for elevating the outer rim, edge, or border of the stand or for retaining it at any desired point without affecting the principle of my invention-that is, a stationary rigid platform for the customer to stand on while the dress is being fitted, the surrounding outer rim, edge, or border being movable in a vertical direction, so as to be capable of being elevated in order to assist in fitting the skirt. The central platform may be round or in any other suitable shape, and the whole or any part of the stand may be made of any suitable material.

What I claim, and desire to secure Letters Patent for, is

In a dressmakers fitting-stand, a rigid ceu tral platform, a vertically-movingrim portion surrounding said platform, levers operatively connected to said movable rim portion for elevating or depressing the same, a hand-lever operatively connected to said levers, and a clutch mechanism for arresting said handlever at any desired point.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

VICTOR H. OANHAM.

Witnesses:

D. H. BARLOW, A. C. OSBORNE. 

